Assam: Numaligarh refinery executives arrested for burying wild female elephant
Assam: Numaligarh refinery executives arrested for burying wild female
elephant
Anupam Chakravartty, Down to Earth
July 24, 2024
The Golaghat forest department in Assam arrested two managers from the
Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) on July 24 on charges of burying a female
wild elephant in the Refinery’s township situated close to an elephant
habitat. The cow elephant had died of an electric shock of July 18,
according to forest officials.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sushil Kumar Thakuria had, earlier,
registered a wildlife offence under the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972.
"After completing the investigation, we arrested the Township Estate
Manager Ujjwal Nayan Handique and Chief Manager Bedanga Kashyap in
connection of the illegal burial of the said female elephant in the NRL
township."
Sushil Kumar Thakuria, divisional forest officer, Golaghat, Assam
The forest department seized an earthmover, a pickaxe and electrical
equipment from the spot where the elephant was buried.
On July 18 morning, the female elephant entered Butterfly Park, situated in
the eastern part of the NRL township and bordering the Deopahar elephant
corridor. As it entered the township, the cow elephant stepped on some live
electrical wires and equipment, according to forest officials. NRL
officials on the other hand claim that when they heard about the incident,
they themselves informed the Golaghat forest department. NRL’s spokesperson
told local media that the accused officials buried the elephant out of fear
of her herd, which was near the NRL township.
Experts and local organisations believe that rampant destruction of
elephant habitat by NRL and other industries are reasons why there are
increasing negative human-elephant interactions in this region.
"Elephants come to the NRL township regularly. You will see hundreds of
videos shot by NRL employees themselves on social media. These officials
are not only culpable for burying the elephant illegally but also keeping
exposed live wires in an area frequented by elephants and other wild
animals."
Pintu Gogoi, local student leader, Golaghat
Gogoi and two other locals also filed police complaints against NRL
authorities, naming the accused officials for trying to hush up the
incident.
Mubina Akhtar, former State Wildlife Board member, told Down to Earth that
Butterfly Park has some salt springs in the vicinity.
“Elephants were attached to the Kalyani river that flows through the NRL
campus. They would cross it to come to the salt springs. Over the years,
rampant illegal sand mining had deepened the river channel. This made it
difficult for the elephants to cross. However, they can still approach
these springs through the Deopahar corridor as large landscape changes have
happened all around."
Mubina Akhtar, former State Wildlife Board member, Assam
With the arrest of the two officials, NRL, the largest oil refinery of
Northeast India, has become a routine site for wildlife conflicts. Earlier
this year in April, following the orders by the National Green Tribunal,
NRL was asked by the Government of Assam to demolish the boundaries it
built over the Deopahar elephant corridor.